


Princess Annie, the Firebird and the Gray Wolf

by lonely_no_more



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Dani's Mikaani Week, F/F, Russian fairy tale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-03
Updated: 2018-05-03
Packaged: 2019-05-01 14:19:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14522478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lonely_no_more/pseuds/lonely_no_more
Summary: Annie wants to be the sole heir to her father's kingdom. But being the youngest and having two older brothers proves to be a problem until she is the only one to at least almost catch the firebird. But when it brings her to a long journey and finding the princess of her dreams, her brothers throw a wrench into the works.Day 2 of Dani's Mikaani Week: Fairy Tale!AU





	Princess Annie, the Firebird and the Gray Wolf

Annie watched quietly as Zeke and Reiner stood before their father. “That firebird keeps stealing the golden apples. I have a task for you. Whichever one of you can catch the firebird will get half of the kingdom and become my heir.” 

 

Reiner murmured, “Sole heir?”

 

Nodding, their father replied, “My sole heir. The one who does not will get a quarter of the kingdom and remain prince. The last quarter will go to Annie as part of her dowry.” 

 

Zeke and Reiner both bowed and left, arguing over how to draw lots to see who would go first. A moment passed until they were out of earshot before she approached her father. “Why can’t I have a chance to catch the firebird?” 

 

“Annie, you are the  _ youngest _ and also a  _ princess _ ,” he responded, rubbing his temples. It had been damn near impossible to get Annie to wear a dress for Mass and holidays- she was more competent at fighting, riding and hunting than her older brothers; even being a princess, she often wore a tunic and trousers so she could better ride a horse and spar with her brothers. “Your brothers will be able to marry and have children that will keep the family name in power.” 

 

Though she didn’t say it out loud, Annie knew that there was just about as much chance of Reiner having children as there was for her. And, considering that she preferred to chase skirts rather than wear them, any children would have to come from Zeke. The blonde girl rolled her eyes but still pleaded, “If they fail, let me try to catch the firebird.  _ Please. _ ” 

 

There was a heavy sigh before he finally relented, “Fine. If they fail, you can try.”

 

“I want the same reward. If I catch the bird, I want half the kingdom and to be sole heir,” the princess announced. When her father’s eyes widened and he looked ready to protest, she held up a hand to cut him off, copying what he did whenever arguing. “I’ll keep the family name and will outright refuse marriage if the suitor insists I take their name.” 

 

“You really thought this through,” he grumbled. 

 

“You’re damn right I did,” she retorted. 

  
  


The next morning saw Reiner and Zeke standing before their father yet again, however, this time they looked more nervous and crestfallen. “The firebird didn’t come,” reported Reiner. Beside him, Zeke nodded somberly. 

 

Their father’s expression darkened. “Odd, since the guards reported to me this morning that yet another golden apple had been eaten.” He watched his sons pale visibly and shrink back. “The two of you fell asleep and completely missed the damn bird entirely.” Then, the king got to his feet and called out, “Annie!” 

 

When she strode forward, she could feel a smirk coming at the growing confusion on her brothers’ faces. “Yes, your Majesty?”

 

“You have your chance,” he announced. 

 

Seeing the outrage on Zeke and Reiner’s faces was almost satisfaction enough for Annie. But she decided to play it out a bit. “Of course.” The princess bowed respectfully and then straightened up. “And my prize for catching the bird?”

“Half the kingdom and becoming sole heir.”

 

“What? But Annie is a girl, she can’t be the heir!” Reiner protested. 

 

Zeke agreed, “She would be required to take her husband’s name and power would shift away from our family name.”

 

“Not if I refuse to marry one who insists I take their name. If they want to wed me, they have to take  _ my _ name,” Annie calmly responded. There was something incredibly pleasing in seeing her brothers angered by the very thought of their younger sister ruling instead of them. 

 

“Shall you need anything?” her father questioned. 

 

“No,” she replied simply. Annie could tell by the way her father’s lips twitched that he was getting some amusement out of this as well. Then, with that, she turned and left the throne room. As soon as she had turned away, she could hear the three men arguing. It sounded like Reiner and Zeke were furious. 

 

Regardless, Annie got herself ready for the night by returning to her room and sleeping. The princess had ordered her closest servant- and friend- Mina to wake her just before supper. Annie didn’t even roll over in her sleep, never rousing at all until she felt a hand on her shoulder. “Hm?” she grumbled sleepily. 

 

“Supper is about to be served, your highness,” Mina answered. 

 

“Mina, how many times do I have to tell you…?” Annie groaned in exasperation.

 

The brunette rolled her eyes. “Force of habit. Besides, if your father heard me just refer to you as Annie, he’d have me killed on the spot.” 

 

“He would not.”

 

“Oh, yes, he would,” the servant insisted. “I almost slipped up and called you Annie in his presence and I swear, if looks could kill, that man would’ve incinerated me instantly.” After a short pause, she said, “He would’ve smited me. Is it smited or smote?” 

 

Annie snorted with a laugh, “I think it’s smote.”

 

Mina heaved a dramatic sigh. “Ugh, ok.” 

 

She took several minutes to bring herself to even properly sit up, giving a long yawn. “Jeez. Well, I’m planning on actually pulling this off. And that means becoming Queen.” 

 

“I’m sure you can do it,” her friend responded confidently. 

 

The princess smiled faintly. “Thanks, Min.”

  
  


Annie stood beneath the golden apple tree, primarily out of sight. It was getting close to the witching hour. She huffed, crossing her arms. If her brothers had inadvertently scared the bird off, she was going to be pissed. However, Annie froze, hearing the flapping of great wings. Peeking through the foliage, her eyes widened to see how large the firebird was. It was gorgeous; with wings of crimson red and gold, Annie could understand why it was attracted to the golden apples. The princess remained hidden until the bird had gotten low enough to jump out. She caught it by a handful of tail feathers, trying to carefully tug it lower in order to wrap an arm around its body. 

 

The firebird squawked and turned, pecking Annie’s hand, causing the blonde girl to lose her grip. As it started to fly away, the princess managed to grab another tail feather but only managed to pull it loose. However, the firebird didn’t manage to get one of the apples. Annie sighed heavily and sat on the grass below the tree, silently hoping the bird would return. While she waited, the princess turned the feather over in her hands to inspect it. The red was a bloody crimson and it appeared as if the pattern of gold was made from the real metal. 

 

When the sun rose and the bird still didn’t return, Annie got up in a huff and marched into her father’s throne room. She was still dressed in her tunic and trousers; the blonde girl ignored the look of exasperation on his face at the way she was dressed and instead focused on bringing the feather to him. The very sight of the feather made his jaw drop. Reiner and Zeke walked in just as Annie held the feather out. “I’ll continue to try and catch the bird every night this week. But I think this feather proves I got closer to it than my brothers.”

 

One of the guards stepped forward and bowed respectfully before reporting, “There were no apples stolen last night while the princess waited, your majesty.” He straightened back up and then stepped back into his place. 

 

“The only reason I lost my grip was because the firebird bit my hand,” Annie explained, holding up her hand to display the wound. 

 

Her father nodded, flashing an approving smile. “Very well. You have this entire week.” He glanced at his sons, giving them a scathing look. “Especially since you got much more lucrative results.” 

 

Annie bowed and took her leave. The blonde maintained a routine the entire week of sleeping through the day and staying awake overnight to watch for the firebird. Unfortunately, it never came back. It was frustrating for the young woman. After a week and no apples stolen, Annie finally went to her father again. “Well, it looks like the firebird isn’t about to steal anymore of the golden apples.” 

 

“I still want that bird,” the king stated. He looked at his sons and said, “You’ve got a second chance. But if you fail again, I’ll give the kingdom to Annie completely.” Then, he glanced at his daughter. “If they take longer than a week, you can go.” 

 

Annie’s brows rose at the promise. She hadn’t even had to ask for the opportunity. Which most likely meant that her father either expected the threat to be enough to make her brothers act or that he expected her to have a much better chance at fulfilling the task. Though she really wanted it to be the latter, it was most likely the former. Now all she had to do was wait for Reiner and Zeke to take longer than a week. 

  
  


When it was nearly a week and a half later with no word from her brothers, Annie got her things ready to take off. As she was mounting her horse, she paused to see her father approaching. “Is there something I forgot, your majesty?”

 

He shook his head. “No.” After another moment, the man admitted, “I came to see you off.” 

 

“Oh.” Annie blinked; her father was not typically the type to do something considered so sentimental. “I…”

 

“I know this is probably not what you were expecting. After your mother died, I...I got very distant and you never really got a chance to know what I was like before that happened. Go with peace,” the king said softly. “And with my blessing.” He patted the horse’s neck and smiled as he stood aside. 

 

For the most part, the journey was uneventful as she rode past farms and large fields. She saw many merchants making their ways towards the palace. It always amused her to see the range of looks her appearance would cause. Most were simply confused or bewildered. There were a couple who glared at her until they saw the royal crest on the bridle her horse bore. 

 

Finally, she got to a point where the road split into three. “Annie?” She turned to see her brothers in a couple large tents just off of the road. Reiner stepped up next to her and crossed his arms. “How are you going to choose which road to take?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

He pointed to a large stone with a message carved into it. “If you take one road, you will know hunger and cold. On the second road, you will live but your horse shall die. And the third road...you will die but your horse shall live,” Reiner recited. 

 

One of Annie’s brows shot up and she muttered, “And you don’t know which is which, so you’ve decided to wait it out and see if anyone is fool enough to take these roads. So you’ve become idle.” Judging by the disgruntled look on her brother’s face, Annie knew she was correct. 

 

Zeke also approached and adjusted his spectacles as he questioned, “Do you have some kind of plan to decide what road to take?”

 

“Nope,” she answered. “Going with my gut.” Annie guided her horse to take the road on the far left, knowing it led to the south where the cold wouldn’t be a risk. The princess was really guessing. So, she had a fifty-fifty chance of either her horse dying or losing her own life. As she approached the forested area, Annie could hear growling. She got herself ready to fight for her life but was surprised when a huge gray wolf jumped out to dig its teeth into her horses neck. 

 

Getting thrown from her steed, the princess could only watch as her horse met its fate. However, she was thankful that at least that meant she would live. She grabbed her bag away from the saddle slowly so as not to make the wolf think she were going to attack. Seeing that the wolf was still preoccupied, Annie took off down the road. It felt like she had been walking forever. It had at least been more than half a day because the sun was setting. Annie’s legs were aching and she felt as though she couldn’t possibly take another step. She fell to her knees and ran a hand over her face. 

 

“You’re exhausted, princess,” a voice said. Annie glanced over her shoulder to see the gray wolf from before, its yellow eyes staring at her. When she tried to turn and scramble back, he laughed at how slow she moved. “You’re too exhausted to keep going. Let me carry you to where you need.” 

 

“But you’re…” Annie sighed. “I’m too tired to argue, actually. If you don’t mind taking me to get the firebird.”

 

“Of course,” he answered. The wolf lowered himself to allow Annie onto his back and then got back up with ease, as if Annie weighed nothing. “Do you need the firebird for something?” he questioned. 

 

“If I bring back the firebird, my father will give me half the kingdom and make me his heir,” the princess replied. “And I don’t really get along with my older brothers.” 

 

The wolf laughed again. “So, you wish to become Queen, eh? I like it.”

 

After a time of silence, Annie asked, “Do you have a name?” 

 

“No one has ever asked before,” he mumbled. “I don’t have a name, actually. I’m simply a wolf. You humans and your names. But there are so many of you and you talk so much. I suppose you need names.” He paused. “I heard some humans talking once. They said the name Eren. I like that. You can call me Eren.”

 

Annie nodded slowly. “Ok...well, thank you for taking me to the firebird, Eren.” 

 

He glanced back at her. “You’re welcome, princess.” Finally, they came to a beautiful garden and Annie blinked, eyes getting large in awe. “A word of warning,” Eren stated, “get the bird but don’t touch the golden cage.” He laid down under a tree outside of the garden, waiting for the princess to return. 

 

While Annie got further into the garden, she came upon the golden cage that held the bird. A fleeting thought that the cage was beautiful enough to be taken as well passed through her mind but Annie knew that Eren had warned her for a reason. She reached into the cage to grab the bird but it seemed to remember her and pecked at her hand again, making the princess stumble and touch the cage. Bells rang and immediately, Annie was rushed by guards. As she was taken into custody, the princess shot a glare at the bird. 

 

The princess was brought before the king and glanced up at him tiredly. “What were you doing trying to take the firebird’s cage?”

 

“Technically I was only trying to take the damn bird,” she responded. When one of the guards squeezed her arm, she yanked away and snapped, “Don’t fucking squeeze my arm! I’m Princess Annie of Muscovia, daughter of King Andrei!” 

 

“A princess? Wearing trousers?” the king asked incredulously. 

 

“Check the dagger at my hip,” Annie stated, “the hilt is inlaid with a scripture and the blade itself has my name carved into it with my family seal on the other side.” 

 

The other guard took the dagger and inspected it, eyes widening to see the detail of it. He handed it to the king, allowing him to inspect it himself. “Well then, princess,” the king muttered, “why didn’t you just come and ask for the bird? I would’ve given it to you freely.”

 

She gaped at him. “Are you serious?” 

 

He nodded. “Well, yes. The damn thing is a real nuisance, honestly. Squawks at all hours, eats a ridiculous amount…” Then, for a moment, the king looked thoughtful and he replied, “You can have the bird on one condition.” 

 

“What’s the condition?”

 

“I want you to bring me the horse with the golden mane.” 

 

Annie sighed but nodded. “Fine.” She got her dagger back and set back out, going to where Eren was laying beneath the tree. “Gotta go get the damn horse with the golden mane,” she muttered before he could ask. “Stupid bird pecked me and it startled me so I stumbled and touched the cage.”

 

“I was about to ask why you touched the cage. I would’ve bitten you,” he mentioned. “Well, hop on then. We’ll go get you the horse.” It was a relatively warm night and so Annie was able to sit atop Eren’s back without shivering. “You must be careful not to touch the horse’s golden bridle,” the wolf warned. 

 

“As long as the horse doesn’t try to bite me, I think I’ll be fine,” Annie retorted. “What’s with these fucking animals and their golden cages and bridles? Can’t anyone have something that’s normal? For once?”

 

Eren nodded and said, “It’s a little funny, I figured you’d be great with animals.” He paused. “It’s why I ate your horse instead of you.” 

 

“Animals seem to like me, normally,” the princess mumbled. “But I did grab the firebird by the tail. So that might be why it doesn’t like me much.” 

 

“Well, that solves that mystery,” he laughed. When they arrived at the stables where the horse with the golden mane was, Eren let Annie off and motioned towards the far wall. “I’ll wait over there.” He sauntered off, leaving the princess to retrieve the horse. 

 

She entered the stable to see the horse in its stall. But, as luck would have it, the bridle was hung on the latch to the stall. “Are you fucking kidding me? Someone’s stable master needs to learn how to put shit away properly.” Annie went to the stall door and huffed, trying to think of how to get the stall open without disturbing the bridle. Annie found a broom and started to carefully move the latch. She bit her lip, trying to unhook the latch slowly. It was almost undone when the bridle slipped and fell. Annie went ahead and just waited while the guards came, the sound of brass instruments filling the air. As they approached, she put up her hands and stated, “Princess Annie of Muscovia, you can check my dagger, it has my name on it.” 

 

One of the guards checked and when he nodded, the others begrudgingly stood down and allowed her to walk freely. As she was brought before the king, Annie was slightly surprised to see a young man with an atrocious haircut standing at his side. “Princess Annie of Muscovia, your majesty. Her dagger bears her name and the royal crest of royal Leonhardt line.” 

 

The king leaned back on his throne, looking at her appraisingly. “Why were you trying to take the golden bridle?”

 

“I wasn’t trying to take the golden bridle,” she sighed, “I need the horse so I can go get the firebird and then go home to my father so he’ll award me half the kingdom and name me as heir.” 

 

“Had you asked, I would’ve been willing to sell the horse to you fairly,” he announced. 

 

Annie groaned, “Why are you men suddenly so damn understanding- my father is impossible compared to you.” 

 

“Father, I have an idea,” the young man with the bad haircut said. He leaned in and whispered in his ear. 

 

“The prince has suggested a condition for you to have the horse,” said the king. “Go and fetch Princess Mikasa the Beautiful so she may marry my son. In exchange, you may have the horse.” 

 

“Fine,” she retorted. “By the way, your stable master just hung the bridle on the latch to the stall. I dunno if that’s how you let them do things here but it seems really unprofessional to me.” The princess bowed and then left, going back out to Eren. “Fucking bridle was hung on the latch to the stall.”

 

Eren blinked. “Do you want me to eat the stable master?” 

 

“If anything, I might ask you to eat the prince when we come back. His hair is awful. And he’s the one who wants me to go get some princess and bring her back in exchange for the horse.”

 

The wolf’s tail stopped wagging and his eyes narrowed. “He wants a girl in exchange for the horse.”

 

“Their words, not mine,” Annie grumbled. She got on his back and asked, “You know where Princess Mikasa the Beautiful is?”

 

“Yes, I know her well,” Eren stated. “And she will not like this,” he guaranteed. 

 

“D’you think we could trick them and get her out after I’ve got the horse?” she asked. 

 

Eren murmured, “I’d much prefer that.” They were able to travel surprisingly fast and soon they arrived at a gorgeous castle. He continued on towards the garden and explained, “She likes to sit in the garden at night. I come by fairly often and we talk.” 

 

“A princess just sits and has a conversation with a talking  _ wolf _ ?” Annie questioned. 

 

“That’s kinda what you’re doing too,” Eren pointed out.

 

“Ok but you ate my horse.”

 

“More reason for you to not speak to me,” he chuckled. As they approached, Eren barked at the figure sitting by a small pond. “Mikasa!” 

 

The girl turned and Annie instantly knew why she was called Mikasa the Beautiful. Because she truly was beautiful. More beautiful than any girl Annie had ever seen. She got to her feet and one fine brow arched at the sight of Annie. “You’ve brought a friend.”

 

“Well she’s certainly too small for a snack,” the wolf joked. 

 

Annie’s cheeks burned at the remark and she grumbled, “That was uncalled for.” She dismounted and bowed. “Princess Annie of Muscovia, your highness.”

 

“Oh for the love of God, spare me the formalities right now, I’m sick of it from all the suitors I have to turn away every fucking day,” Mikasa announced. She laughed at the way Annie’s jaw dropped. “What, never heard a princess swear before?”

 

“I swear plenty on my own, thanks,” the blonde replied. She smiled regardless though, impressed by the statuesque woman’s fiery personality. Her smile fell a little when she murmured, “Ah, look, I’ve got a little bit of a favor to ask.”

 

Eren piped up, “We’re going to trick a prince so that Annie can get a horse and then get a firebird so she can take over her father’s kingdom.”

 

Mikasa’s expression went from being incredulous to upset and then to interest. “Your father has said you’ll take over if you bring him a horse and a firebird?”

 

“Well…” 

 

“Come and sit so we can talk,” she offered. “I’m sure you’ve got some time for that at least.”

 

As they walked over to sit with Mikasa, the other princess sat on the ground beside the pond. Eren, on the other hand, put his head right on Mikasa’s knee so she could scratch behind his ears. Annie said, “I went to go get the firebird, had a mishap, the king wanted the horse with the golden mane in exchange, went to go get the horse, had  _ another _ mishap, the second king said I could have the horse if I brought you to marry his son.” She watched Mikasa’s expression darken significantly and Annie felt her heart sink. 

 

“Annie asked me if we could trick them so we could get you back out while Annie gets the horse,” Eren mentioned while Mikasa scratched his ears. His tail began to wag. “I figured we could do that pretty easily.” 

 

“Then why have me come along?” Mikasa questioned. 

 

Eren’s ears drooped and he mumbled, “There’s a limit to my magic. The person I’m imitating has to be within a certain distance to me for it to work.” He glanced at her. “Sorry.”

 

She shook her head and sighed, patting Eren’s head. “It’s ok. I know.” Mikasa glanced at Annie and inquired, “Why are you so dead-set on becoming the heir?” 

 

“I think my brothers would be terrible rulers,” she replied simply. “Zeke just wants to expand our borders and spread the orthodox church. Reiner just wants power.” 

 

“And you?”

 

“I want to improve the infrastructure of my people. And make it so that fewer are homeless, fewer are sick, fewer are so poor that they can barely buy food.” Annie gazed out over the surface of the pond. “I might seem crass or arrogant. But I truly want what’s best for my people.” 

 

Mikasa blinked. She hadn’t been expecting such an honest or generous desire. “You want to rule for your people’s benefit. Not just your own.” 

 

Annie glanced over at her and nodded. “Probably seems weird. Most royalty is so absorbed by their own needs and wants that I think some even forget that their people are more than just the taxes they pay.” 

 

The wolf seemed to shift his eyes between the two women and his tail wagged again. “Well then. Can’t wait too long, can we?” he suggested. Eren got back up and said, “I can carry you both.” 

 

“But I’m in a dress,” Mikasa stated. 

 

“You can ride side-saddle,” Annie replied, “and I’ll keep you steady by holding you in place.” 

 

Once they were situated and on their way, the taller princess casually mentioned, “You know, there’s a reason I turn away so many suitors.”

 

Amused, the blonde asked, “Why? Are that many hideous?”

 

“None of them are women,” Mikasa answered nonchalantly.

 

Annie blushed, even feeling the tips of her ears burn. “O-oh.” She swallowed hard and her arm tightened slightly around Mikasa’s waist. “Well, I can’t say it’s terribly common. I’m pretty much in the same boat though.” 

 

“Truly?” she murmured, sounding interested. For whatever reason, Eren seemed to jump a little and Mikasa gave a squeak of surprise, throwing her arms around Annie’s neck for stability. Her cheeks were bright red and she shot a glare at the wolf. Turning back to Annie, whose face was just as red as her own, she whispered, “S-sorry.”

 

“No, no, I- it’s...it’s quite all right,” Annie soothed. When they approached the castle of the second king, Annie felt her stomach twist in knots. She was already growing quite fond of Mikasa and dreaded the idea of handing her over to the king and his son. Glancing at Eren as they dismounted, Annie gently took Mikasa’s hand in her own. “Do you truly not mind taking her stead for now?”

 

“It’ll be fine,” he reassured. “Hopefully the prince won’t irritate me too much. I might eat him.”

 

“Eren, no, you can’t eat him,” Mikasa scolded. “No eating people.” 

 

“He should be too full,” Annie muttered, “he ate my fucking horse.”

 

Mikasa shot a look at him. “Eren!”

 

“What, it was her or the horse and she smelled like a friend!” Eren protested, his ears laying back. He finally paused, shutting his eyes. Watching the transformation was quite something. When it was done, it was like seeing Mikasa’s identical twin. “So?”

 

“Perfect,” the brunette princess answered. “Careful about smiling though. Your teeth are still too sharp.” 

 

“Dammit, I always miss something,” he swore, stamping one foot petulantly. 

 

Annie snorted. “Ok, let’s do this.” She turned her attention to Mikasa and squeezed her hand. “Hide here in the stables, ok?” 

 

Mikasa nodded and bent to kiss Annie’s cheek. “Ok. Be careful.” She looked at Eren. “Both of you.” 

 

Nodding, Annie and the disguised wolf headed into the throne room. Once the exchange was made and Eren- looking like Mikasa- shot Annie a dirty look because of how Prince Jean was fawning over “Mikasa,” Annie quickly left and went to the stable. There, she found Mikasa waiting and got onto the horse with the other princess, quickly taking off. A ways down the road, they heard barking and slowed to allow Eren a chance to catch up. “So, did you eat him?”

 

“No, he smelled awful,” Eren retorted. “And he looked like a horse’s rear end. I just decked him in the face and ran,” he continued cheerfully. 

 

There was a pause before Mikasa stated, “I can’t really complain about that. I remember Prince Jean. I turned him away once. And I desperately wanted to deck him in the face then.”

 

Eren raised his head, looking quite proud of himself. When they drew close to the first kingdom, Annie asked, “Can you turn into the horse and then catch up with us again when we leave?”

 

“Might be a good idea,” he replied, “since you’ll need transport to get back to your father’s kingdom.” He once again transformed, this time into the horse, and they left Mikasa with the real horse once more. And, again, when Annie returned with the firebird- cage and all- Eren eventually caught back up with them. They came upon the spot where he had first attacked the horse and eaten it. “This is where my service ends, friends. Safe travels and a happy life together,” he murmured, tail wagging as he plopped down on the grass. 

 

Annie smiled sadly. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for us. Friend.” 

 

“Thank you, Eren,” Mikasa agreed. She dismounted and knelt to hug the wolf around the neck. “Even though you didn’t have a name for a while, I’m still glad to have known you as a friend.” 

 

He gave his best attempt at a smile, tongue lolling out of his mouth. He butted his head against hers and replied, “I’m glad to have known you, Mikasa. You always gave me good treats.” 

 

“Always thinking with your stomach, eh?” Annie teased. She looked mildly nervous when Eren got up and walked over to her. But then, he jumped up on his hind legs and steadied himself by putting his front paws on her leg. Annie bent and gave him a hug as well, smiling when he butted his head against hers like he had done to Mikasa. 

 

Eren got back down and stood by the side of the road while Mikasa got back on the horse, watching the pair head back towards the kingdom. 

 

It was late when they finally got back to the main road and Mikasa said, “Annie, you look exhausted and the horse is getting tired as well.” 

 

“I guess we could stop and get some rest,” the blonde mumbled. She led the horse to the side of the road and stopped about midway between the road and treeline. Annie leaned against the horse’s side as it also settled down. She wasn’t prepared for Mikasa to curl up against her side. “You...don’t mind sleeping like this?”

 

“No, no, I think I’ll be fine,” she responded lightly. Cuddling into her, Mikasa smiled and shut her eyes. 

 

Not long after, Annie felt a pair of hands grab her and tie her up. As soon as her vision had become clear after blinking the sleep away, she growled. “Take your hands off her!” Across from where she was, Zeke had Mikasa tied up as well with his dagger at her throat. 

 

“You’re not in any position to make demands, little sister,” Reiner sneered. He picked her up when he was sure she couldn’t move and began to walk into the forest. “You bringing her along?”

 

“To make sure she understands worse will happen to her if she breathes a word of this to anyone,” Zeke muttered. They walked to a lake that seemed to be eternally frozen. “See this lake? If anyone breaks the surface and is submerged, their body gets crystallized.” He hissed, “Just watch.” 

 

Reiner threw Annie to the ground and took an axe, walking a couple feet out onto the frozen surface. Once he’d made a long enough hole, he returned and dragged his sister over before tossing her in. Instantly, there was a bright glow and the surface froze over again. “There. Now. If you even act like you’re gonna say anything, we’ll sneak out and bring you here and no one will ever see you again.” 

 

Upon getting back to the kingdom, their father was shocked to see not only the firebird but also the horse with the golden mane and the prettiest young woman the kingdom had ever seen. After a little deliberation, he gave half the kingdom to Reiner and Zeke would get to marry Mikasa. The princess glared at the man with spectacles but remained quiet, hoping that someone would find that lake and help Annie.

  
  


Eren had sensed there was something off. He wandered to the main road and sniffed out the scent of the horse with his friends, but paused when it was disrupted. The scent led off to the side of the road but had two new scents added as well when the trail headed back towards the road. But the concerning part was that Annie’s scent was not in that direction. He followed Annie’s scent and felt nothing but dread when the last spot he could smell her was at the edge of the crystal lake. 

 

The wolf scratched at the surface to dispel the frost and eventually stumbled upon Annie. His gold eyes widened in horror as he saw the pained look frozen on her face. Suddenly, he heard the screech of a baby bird and ran over before the mother could dive down to grab it. “Listen, crow, fetch me the embers of Baba Yaga’s hearth lest I eat your child.” 

 

There was no hesitation as the crow flew off. Eren knew time was short and only the embers from that witch’s hearth would melt the crystal long enough to pull Annie out. The crow returned with a bucket clutched in her talons. He stepped back from the bird and bowed his head. “I apologize, mother crow, but I have a friend to save.” Then, without another word, he took the bucket in his mouth and dumped it over the surface to melt the ice. When it burnt through, he stuck his head down, catching Annie’s tunic in his teeth and tugging hard to pull her out before the ice crystallized again. Upon getting her to the shore, he bit through the roped and used his paw to gently pat her face. “Annie! Annie! Wake up!”

 

Annie coughed as if water was being expelled from her lungs and rolled onto her side. “Mika...sa...where…”

 

“Towards the kingdom. Get on my back, I’ll carry you there,” Eren ordered. When the blonde had done so, he took off. 

 

The wedding was about to take place. Mikasa’s face was obscured by the veil and she was thankful for it to hide her tears. This wasn’t the wedding she wanted. Zeke was about to reach for her veil when a howl pierced the air. Standing in the doorway of the cathedral was Eren with Annie on his back. Zeke’s eyes widened in horror and, beside him, Reiner was likewise mortified. 

 

Mikasa threw down the bouquet and tore the veil from her face, running down the aisle to wrap her arms around Annie’s neck. “Annie!” 

 

The blonde princess held Mikasa tight and cried, feeling relief at having stopped the wedding just in time. “I’m ok. Eren saved me.” 

 

At the altar, the king stood in shock and rounded on his sons. “You said Annie had been killed on the road by a wolf!” 

 

Reiner stammered, “B-but father-” 

 

“No son of mine would stoop so low as to harm his younger sister for the sake of the throne!” Andrei bellowed. “You are no sons of mine!” 

 

Eren had stalked his way up the aisle, growling and licking his chops. “You’re the ones who stuck Annie in the crystal lake. I know your scents.” 

 

Though Andrei looked surprised by the appearance of a talking wolf, he murmured, “The crystal lake...you tried to  _ kill her _ ?!” 

 

Annie shouted, “Eren, wait!” The wolf froze right before he could jump and attack the men. He glanced back at her but stepped aside as the blonde woman walked up the aisle, clutching Mikasa’s hand in her own. “I’m the one who got the firebird and the horse with the golden mane and Mikasa. I went to a lot of trouble. And yes, my brothers did try to kill me.” Beside her, Mikasa nodded, shooting a dirty look at the pair. “I don’t wish them dead.”

 

Mikasa growled, “I do.” 

 

“The only I do you should be saying is to me during our marriage,” Annie replied primly. 

 

“I thought that was a given,” Mikasa said. She tugged Annie into a kiss in front of the entire congregation, drawing many gasps. “I only want to marry you.” 

 

Glancing at her father, Annie announced, “I only want to be heir and marry Mikasa.” 

 

Andrei looked skeptical but nodded. “As for  _ them _ ?” 

 

“Make them servants,” Annie retorted flippantly. “I’ve got a woman to marry.” She looked back at Mikasa with a smirk. “So?”

 

“I do,” Mikasa answered, tears of joy sliding down her cheeks. She bent once more to kiss her new wife.


End file.
